Cable end stripping machine



pril 16, 1935. K. R. SHAW ,998,39

CABLE END lSTRIPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 1, `1933 2 sheets-sheet 1 April 16, 1935. K, R. SHAW 1,998,391

CABLE END STRIPPING MACHINE TO RNE Y.

l Patented Apr. 16, 1935 UNITED STATES' ,':P'ATENT oFfFiCE f i 1,998,391. CABLE END STRIPPING I Kenneth. R. Shaw,.vEasthampton, Mass., assignor' r i im to United Elastic: Corporation, Easthampton,

V MaSS., acorporation of Massachusetts y Y Application 'February 1, 19st, serial" No; 654,664 i l y 14 claims. (C1. :i1-9.51)" f I f In order to attach the wires of varrinsulated conductor or cable to the terminals of a plug, connector, or other xturej or fitting, it is necessary first to strip the insulation fromthe wires.

If any lsubstantial number ofr such connections are to be made this matter of removing the linsulation from the wires becomes a tedious operation and one whichv involves the expenditure of considerable time andk labor. l

The present invention is particularly concerned with this problem and aims to devise a machine with the aid of vwhich this stripping operation can be performed rapidly and efliciently. The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with 'the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, I Figure l is a side elevation,` partly in section, of a machine constructed in accordance with this invention; i

Fig. 2 is a. sectional View ofvthemore important parts of the machineshown in-Fig; lj Y 'individually covered with insulation such as as bestos, or other suitable material, withan outer jacket braided around both vconductors and their insulating coverings. The details offconstruction of 'these cables vary substantially, V'Frequently'the insulatedlwires are run through'abath of some adhesive,"such as a rubber compoundjofjsome nature, Veither :before 'or after the outer ljacket has been braided around them, thus making the `stripping operation more diflicult. Usuallyjthis operation' involves the removal of all of the outside lements from the end portion of the cable for adistance of, say, one anda halffor two inches.` i The holder includes a body, preferably .in-

tegral with'a supporting arm 4," the forward' end slots 5 and 6, respectively, formed therethrough.

Fig, 3 is a perspective view of the parts tshown Iarm 3l'which'is connected by an upright rod 3.1

'normallyy ina position immediately beside the Yknife'23; as shownin Figs; Yland 3J A stop screw 'or boltllycooperates with the leverrarm 36 to ofthe body'having both vertical andfhorizontal Permit vtheaccl-ll`fft adjustment'bfthis"positionandiB,I bothy grooved on their adjacent edges't receive and grip the cable, as best shown in Fig. 4. Coiled springs I0 interposedbetween these slides and side pieces lli'and I2 which are screwed to the opposite sides ofthe'body 3, press the slides l 5 and 8 yieldingly'` toward each other, the movements of these? slides so produced being limited by stop screws I3 and I4. A' hole l5 is formed through the body 3 in line withthe grooves in the slides "1 andjl so that the-operator can readily 10 slip the end of"V the cablethrough thishole and said groovesuntil the desired length projects beyond theforward endof the holder.

l The Vrearward end o f the holder Varm 4 is pivoted atl', Fig. 1,' on amachine bed l1 which is secured 15 on the top I8 of a suitable vtaloleor vf ranie,'and. it isl connected by anupright rod 20 with afoot 'treadle 2|. 'A coiled spring 22,` which also is connected tothis treadle, serves normally to maintain theholder 3 in a raised position, as indicated in Figsgljand 3. j i

Mounted immediately below the position normallycccupiedby, the holder and in line with the slot kt'rfis a stationary knife 23 havingajpointed double edged upper end shaped `something like rthe pointv o'fa sword. The base of this knife is 'secured rigidly in a' block :24' by means of screws 2 5, this block, turn',I being fastened securely in thebaseV plate l1 ofthe machine., At its forward edger the knife 23 ispartly' out away to 'receive a stripper blade 26 whiclf1` preferably is provided at its upper endwithy a short extensionthat nor- `mally.; lies ina notch 21 in the knife 23. Lying at opposite sides of the blade 261 are two members 28 and 30 which are so shaped as to cooperate with `the blade toform'ftwoshar'p edged V`shaped 'notches'3l and 32, as'best'shown in Fig. 4. :Prefierablyy the-lparts-26f28 and-30 are vall made in For-'the purpose of operativelysupporting the stripper 'blade it is' removably secured by means of screws33, Fig.-3,"to the 'arm 34of'a bell-crank lever, fulcrumed at 35,v andincluding a horizdntal with v*a second' foottrea'dhle 38, Fig. 1. rA coiled spring!!! actsthro'ug'h this tr'eadle and the con- "nectionsjust'y described to holdthe stripper blade Located immediately in frontfoffthe stripper 'made lisa pieten wnivcnispivqtauy Secured td a 455 block 43 and which normally is held against the blade by means of a coiled spring 44, Fig. 3.

In using the machine the end portion of the cable is inserted in the holder in the manner above described, and approximately as indicated in Figs. l, 3, and 4. 'I'he operatorthen steps on the treadle 2l, thus swinging the holder 3 downwardlyfarenghit force the kriiifeA 23 completely through the cable andy between the wires ar and b, Fig. 4. This results in making a cut through the insulation which splits the cable lengthwise..

Simultaneously with this operation the. stripper blade 26 enters the cut so formed the cable. In fact, the upper edge of' thisfblade'miuy be',` and usually is, so sharpened asf to Exist' inf this opcration, the sharpened part extending' dil'rivlrl'il'yl to a point adjacent to the bottom eifthe. notches- 3| and 32. 'Ihe edges of' these notches wlriile not sharpened as they would be for cutting purposes, are, neverthelesa-.sharp enoughfto cut into the insulation, aridniev siiwiiwaigd movement of thevholder 3 forces the portions of the cable ,at opposite sides ofthe split formed init down 'irinly intothe. notches, causingthmto bite into it and togrip the cable ssecflirely'..A 'hi's'actfon is facilitated by thenfactf that the holder is provided with projecting end por'tions 43", Figs. 3l and `6`, which overlie the opposite' sides of' thefcabl' where it eroiiergesl from theholder and b'acli tupfthese xtensionsrbeing shaped to Aitlo'os'ely into the spaces between the stripper blade 2G and the members 2K8 and 3 0 at opposite sides of it. .nA

.adjustable stop screw 3, elflalg`s the arm and limits the d'ownwadrdmovernnt of the holder. o I" "i, a i i` Immediately after this"inove-nientn'lilas' been completed the operator steps .on the i other" ti'eadle v378., which operates through its connections with the stripper y.blade to `nove this blade andlits companion parts 28' and SAbetwenwhich the cable is gripped, inhaoforwarddirectin toward the left, Fig. 3f, where tk 'y xrtfam endwise'pull on the insulatin.","I'his` '1:nill`V lengthwise [of the wires, serve nftofs n insulatir'igf covering oli fthe end@ portions yof vthe wires. The 'chief resistancefto' this v'operation normally is [offered 'by' nie' braided 'racket and this has been cutjby'tnellmlfesand blade 26 so that'it 'caneas'ly'l D'ufed Ebert. During this operation the blade n "still remains in tI-'leciit or slit formed through the cable and-rt'acts-as a stop is effe'cruaily resisinie iiilrfexeioaaby stripper (inthe-main vTIJart oi the cable-V n "other words, it .holds the part Aor the' cable behind the cut against the pull vof the As soon as these operations have been `,cornpleted the workman releases the .treadles 2l and v38 whichare automatically returned by the ysprings to theirnormal or upper positions, these movements serving also toreturrn the partsn'atnthe headjofthe machine t9l their original relationship asshown in l `and '3. The workman next withdraws theostrpped cableffron the f holderand repeats the operations above described.

I .have vdenlc'lnstraftedactual Vuse Vthat this Kirraclrine `will stripping operation rapidly and iiiciently, ndiha't it effects a `very by the stripper.

substantial saving in the labor required to do this work.

While I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be evident that the invention may be embodied in other forms Without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. For example, in this machine the cutting operation is performed chiefly by the knife 28'- but partly also by thel blade. 26, the former piercing the insulation in advance of the latter. The two members thus cooperate in performing.. the cutting operation. As these two members' are moved away from each other they 'perform additional and very important functions, the-'blade 2G' acting as a stripper and the knife -lasav stop' toresist the pull exerted on the cable It will be evident, however, that thse functions couldlbe performed by a variety of other arrangements in which they either could bemade'to cooperate. in cutting the cable or not, asdesir'ed. a.

s The particular cable illustratedinthe drawings isof the. type commonly used for conducting current'to various. electrically operated domestic appliances such as vacuum cleaners, flat irons, toasters, and the like. The machine shown can, however, be adapted for operation on a considerable variety of cables for conducting electricity.

Having thus described my. invention, what Idesire to claim as new is:

1.v In a cable end strippingmachine, the combination of two members for piercing completely through the` insulation. of the cable between'the wires thereof and. behind vthe end. of. the cable, andmechanism for relatively moving said members'apart in adirection lengthwise of the cable to strip from 'the wires the. portion of the insulation between the end of the cable and the point at which. it was. pierced.

V2.. In. acable end stripping machine,` the Vcoms bination of a holder for the end portioriof a cable, means for cutting the insulation on said end portion, mechanism operable'toexert an endwise pull on the .insulation on saidend portion to Vstrip it Vfrom the wires, and a member for piercing the cable and holding the part of. the..,cable behind said end portion against the pull so exerted'.

. 3. In a cable end stripping machine, the combination of a holder for the end portiony of a cable, means forpcutting the insulation on said end portion, mechanism for relatively moving said holderfand.i said cutting means into. and out of .position for the cutting Imeans to act on `the loable, Ymeans for gripping the insulation of said end portion and pulling it endwise to strip it from the wires, and a device for piercing said cable .behind the .point at which the insulation is gripped tohold the nain lbody of the cable against the pllso exerted.

4. In a cable end stripping machine, thec'oinliainatin of 7a holder lorihev end'portion'y of a cable,- a knife for splitting said portion f the .cable longitudinally, mechanism ''or relatively `Iriovig YSaid holder and Said' knife to cause' the knife to spliil the cable, a'iiiember associated with saidkn'if'e to'y enter the vsplit so r formed in the cable, and mechanism for relatively' moving 'said knife and said member in a direction lengthwise hof the cable to strip the -insulation'from'tlreelid portion of the cable.v

5. In a 'cable end' stripping machinathe combination Tof a holder for theen'dfp'ortlon ofa.

Y'moving 'said holder land said knife to cime the lis knife to split the cable, a member associated with said knife to enter the split so formed in the cable, a device associated with said member for gripping the insulation, and mechanism for movfrom the wires.

'7. In a cable end stripping machine, the combination of a holder for the end portion of a cable, means supporting said holder for swinging movement, a relatively stationary knife for splitting the cable longitudinally, mechanism for swinging said holder to force the knife through the insulation on the cable, a stripper blade associated with said knife to enter the cut made in the cable by the knife, and mechanism operable to force said blade endwise to strip the insulation from the end portion of the cable to leave the wires substantially bare.

8. In a cable end stripping machine, the combination of a holder for the end portion of a cable, means supporting said holder for swinging movement, a relatively stationary knife for splitting the cable longitudinally, mechanism for swinging said holder to force the knife through the insulation on the cable, a stripper blade associated with said knife to enter the cut made in the cable by the knife, a device associated with said blade for gripping the insulation on the end portion of the cable, and mechanism operable to move said blade and said device toward the end of the cable to pull the insulation off said portion of the cable while said knife remains in the cut which it formed in the cable and serves to resist the pull on the cable of said blade and said device.

9. In a cable end stripping machine, the combination of a holder for the end portion of a cable, means supporting said holder for swinging movement, a relatively stationary knife for splitting the cable longitudinally, mechanism for swinging said holder to force the knife through the insulation on the cable, a stripper blade associated with said knife, means for normally holding said blade immediately beside said knife where it will be forced through the insulation with the knife, V-shaped gripping jaws associated with said blade and into which the insulation at the end portion of the cable is forced by the movement of said holder, and mechanism for moving said blade and said jaws toward the end of the cable to strip the insulation from the end portion of the cable while the knife holds the main part of the cable against the pull exerted by the bladeV and said jaws.

10. In a cable end stripping machine, the combination of a holder forthe end portion of a cable, means supporting said holder for swinging movement, a relatively stationary knife for splitting the cable longitudinally, mechanism for swinging said holder to force said knife through the insulation on the cable, a stripper blade associated with said knife, means for normally holding said blade immediately beside said knife where it will be forced through the insulation with the knife, V-shaped gripping jaws associated with said blade and into Which the insulation at the end portion of the cable is forced by the movement of said holder, mechanism for moving said blade and said jaws toward the end of the cable to strip the insulation from the end portion of the cable, and a cleaner so associated with said jaws as to utilize the operative movement of them to remove from them the insulation so stripped from the cable.

11. In a cable end stripping machine, the combination of means for splitting the insulation of 'a cable longitudinally at a point adjacent to its end, means for pulling longitudinally in opposite directions on the opposite end walls of the longitudinal split so formed in the insulation to strip the end portion thereof from the Wires, and means for holding the main body of the cable against the pull so exerted.

12. In a cable end stripping machine, the combination of means for splitting the insulation of the cable longitudinally between thewires thereof and at a point adjacent to but spaced from the end of the cable, and means for pulling longitudinally in opposite directions on the opposite end.

walls of the longitudinal cut so formed in the insulation to strip the end portion thereof from the wires.

13. In a cable end stripping machine, the combination of means for splitting the insulation of a cable between the wires thereof and at a point adjacent to but spaced from the end of the cable, and additional means for pulling in an endwise direction on the split section of insulation to strip it from the wires, said splitting means including a device for entering the split made in the cable by said splitting means and serving to hold the main bodyr of the cable against the pull exerted by said additional means.

14. In a cable end stripping machine, the combination of means for splitting the insulation of a cable longitudinally between the wires thereof and at a point adjacent to but spaced from the end of the cable, said means including members separable in a direction lengthwise of the cable,

and mechanism operable to force said members 

